Ace Spinner Becomes First Pakistani Player Sold in The Hundred Auction

Pakistan’s mystery spinner Usman Tariq has become the first Pakistani cricketer to be selected in this year’s The Hundred player draft, after being signed by Birmingham Phoenix for £140,000 (around Rs. 5.04 crore).

Usman Tariq’s deal stands out in an auction that again saw several Pakistani names miss out, despite the England and Wales Cricket Board’s stated position that franchises should not allow nationality or political considerations to influence recruitment decisions.

Most teams in The Hundred now have ownership links to Indian Premier League (IPL) groups, a factor many observers believe has coincided with Pakistani players receiving limited interest in drafts.

Earlier in the process, Pakistan’s Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan were among the notable names who went unsold, with no franchise placing a bid. Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi did not enter the auction after choosing to opt out.

The outcome was similar in the women’s draft, where no Pakistani women players secured a deal. That included in-form Pakistan captain Fatima Sana and top-ranked bowler Sadia Iqbal, who were both overlooked despite strong recent performances.

The Hundred auction is currently ongoing and it remains to be seen whether any other Pakistani player is bought by one of the eight franchises in the league.

📢 For the latest Sports news, videos and analysis join ProPakistani's WhatsApp Group now!

Follow ProPakistani on Google News & scroll through your favourite content faster!

Shares